After over four months of internet suspension by the Indian government in Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK), WhatsApp users in the region have suddenly started disappearing from the application's contacts and groups.
The sudden disappearance of users from Whatsapp came as a surprise to their relatives residing outside IoK as internet connections have been suspended in the region since August 5 when India revoked the special status granted to the region. Several friends and family outside the region took to social media to post screenshots of the unexplained departure of the users from WhatsApp.
However, their confusion was cleared when a spokesperson for Facebook said the disappearances were the result of WhatsApps policy on inactive accounts."To maintain security and limit data retention, WhatsApp accounts generally expire after 120 days of inactivity,” a spokesperson for Facebook told BuzzFeed News.
He further said that these users will be needed to be re-added to groups once regaining access to the internet and joining WhatsApp.
After 4 months of total communication blackout, @WhatsApp is automatically deleting Kashmiris from groups.#Kashmir pic.twitter.com/GD1GXKNrX6
— Dr. Shahnawaz B. Kaloo (@DrKaloo) December 4, 2019
Not just groups, the @WhatsApp accounts have been deactivated. The numbers which where earlier showing up as WhatsApp contacts, are now popping up as “invite to WhatsApp” pic.twitter.com/MMkafgww2K
— Dr. Shahnawaz B. Kaloo (@DrKaloo) December 5, 2019
Kashmir contacts automatically "exiting" from my WhatsApp groups today.
I know they would not have been able to see my messages anyway, but this is heartbreakingly symbolic.
— Sabah Hamid (@akh_koor) December 4, 2019
4 months of inactivity, WhatsApp accounts from Kashmir are getting deleted. Weird to see individuals you haven't spoken for all these months 'leave' WA groups whereas in reality an important part of their digital imprint - images, videos, texts & memories attached - vanishing.
— Khalid Shah (@khalidbshah) December 4, 2019
WhatsApp deactivates Kashimiri accounts after 4-month internet ban@ArifSpks#WhatsApp #Kashmiris pic.twitter.com/Rr4Y8dGyhx
— Rizvi ❤ (@Ziatlp) December 6, 2019